The Princess's Revenge Chapter 99

Valencia’s POV

After finishing our meal, I sat in the great hall between Dr. Vance and Elias. The warmth from the fireplace felt good against my skin.

Dr. Vance leaned back in his chair, his weathered face serious. "The situation at Ironwatch Border is becoming more concerning each day."

Elias nodded grimly. "Our scouts report that Aldermer forces have been increasing their numbers along the Grey River. They're not just maintaining their position anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to focus on their conversation instead of my racing thoughts.

"They're testing our defenses," Dr. Vance explained. "Small groups crossing at night, probing for weak points in our border fortifications. It's classic preparation for a larger invasion."

Elias ran a hand through his blonde hair. "My people sent word from the border last week. Aldermer has been moving siege equipment closer to the river. They're positioning for something big."

My stomach twisted. "How big?"

"Big enough that Logan had to stay at Ironwatch personally," Dr. Vance said. "He's been commanding the defense preparations for weeks. The pack warriors are rotating shifts at the border, but Logan refuses to leave his post."

"The northern kingdom has been planning this for months," Elias continued. "They know winter weakens our supply lines. If they can break through at Ironwatch Border, they'll have a clear path to the heart of Valdoria."

Dr. Vance's expression darkened. "And with Elton's recent attack on our pack, our defenses are stretched thin. Aldermer's timing isn't coincidental."

I looked toward the great hall's entrance, watching servants hurry past with supplies. "Do you think Elton was working with Aldermer?" The moment the words left my mouth, I realized I had said something inappropriate.

Both Elias and Dr. Vance stared at me in shock.

Elias stammered, "I... I don't know. But we can't rule out that possibility. After all, Elton is a madman."

Movement near the doorway caught my attention. Echo appeared, her hair tied back as she carried a wooden tray. She spotted me and smiled, walking over to our table.

"Hello, Valen..." she said warmly, then immediately caught herself. "I mean, Luna Valencia. I was just heading to the kitchen to prepare something special for Alpha Logan. He needs proper nutrition to heal."

"Just call me Valencia," I said with a light smile.

"I can't do that," Echo replied, making a face and laughing. "You're our Luna now. It's proper respect." Echo was about to continue when another figure appeared in the doorway. My heart rate spiked immediately.

Soren.

Alpha Soren walked into the great hall with confident stride. His green eyes scanned the room before settling on our table. He approached with a friendly smile, but something about his expression made me nervous.

"Luna Valencia," he said, inclining his head politely. "I hope you don't mind if I join you for a moment."

Dr. Vance and Elias immediately straightened, clearly recognizing the authority in Soren's presence.

"Of course, Alpha Soren," Dr. Vance said quickly.

Soren settled into the chair beside me, and I felt my muscles tense. Echo excused herself with a quick goodbye, saying she needed to get to the kitchen.

"Valencia, have you ever heard the old stories about dragons?" Soren began, his tone casual but his green eyes sharp as they studied my face.

The question hit me like a physical blow. I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, even as my heart hammered against my ribs.

"Dragons?" I managed to say.

"Yes. Ancient bloodlines with the power to shift into magnificent beasts." Soren's voice was smooth, almost hypnotic. "They say such creatures have purple eyes, like amethysts. Rather like yours, actually."

My hands clenched in my lap. What did he really mean? Did he already know?

Dr. Vance cleared his throat. "Alpha Soren, perhaps we should—"

"I'm simply curious," Soren interrupted gently. "These are dangerous times, and it would be valuable to know if such... capabilities... exist within our alliance."

Elias shifted uncomfortably beside me. "The stories of dragons are mostly legends."

"Are they?" Soren asked, his gaze never leaving my face. "Because I find it quite interesting that a dragon appeared at exactly the moment Logan was about to die. Don't you find that coincidental, Valencia?"

I felt trapped. Every instinct told me to run, but I couldn't move. Soren's questions felt like a trap closing around me.

"I... I don't know what you mean," I said, hating how weak my voice sounded.

Soren smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. Forgive my curiosity. These old stories fascinate me."

The tension at the table was suffocating. Dr. Vance looked like he wanted to intervene, but didn't dare interrupt an Alpha's questioning. Elias kept glancing between Soren and me, clearly uncomfortable.

I felt my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I sat there, trapped under Soren's questioning. Part of me wanted to run away from this suffocating conversation, but my legs felt frozen to the chair. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

I was just about to make an excuse to leave.

"Valencia."

My heart nearly stopped. Logan's voice, weak but unmistakable, came from behind me. I spun around to see him standing in the doorway, one hand gripping the stone frame for support. His face was still pale, and I could see the strain in his gray eyes.

"Logan!" I shot up from my chair, nearly knocking it over. "What are you doing down here?"

Everyone else at the table turned in shock. Soren's eyebrows raised, while Dr. Vance immediately looked alarmed.

"Alpha, you should be resting," Dr. Vance said, starting to rise from his seat.

Logan ignored him completely, his eyes fixed on me. "I missed you too much to stay in that room another minute."

Heat flooded my face. Of all the things he could have said, that was the last thing I expected. The simple honesty in his voice made my chest tight with emotion.

Soren let out a surprised laugh. "Well, I never thought I'd hear words like that from the Beast of the North."

Logan's gaze shifted to Soren, and something passed between them that I couldn't read. "Do you have more to say to Valencia, Soren?"

The question was calm, but there was an edge underneath it. Soren studied Logan's face for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.

"No, I think we've covered everything for now."

Logan stepped forward and offered me his hand. "Come on."

I took his hand immediately, feeling the familiar warmth of his fingers against mine. Dr. Vance and Elias both stood as well.

"I should check your bandages," Dr. Vance said, gathering his medical bag.

"And I need to oversee the supply distribution," Elias added, giving Soren a respectful nod before following us.

We walked slowly toward the great hall entrance, Logan leaning on me more than he probably wanted to admit. I could feel his exhaustion in every step, but I was also overwhelmed with gratitude. He had come down here for me. To rescue me from Soren's questions.

"Thank you," I whispered as we made our way to the stairs.

"For what?"

"For coming down. For getting me away from... that."

Logan squeezed my hand gently. "I could tell you were uncomfortable. Your scent changed."

I looked up at him in surprise. Sometimes I forgot how much he could sense as an Alpha. We started climbing the stairs together, and I glanced out the narrow window. Snow was falling heavily now, coating the courtyard in thick white blankets.

"It's beautiful," I murmured, watching the flakes swirl in the wind.

"It is," Logan agreed, but when I looked at him, he was watching me instead of the snow.

We reached his room, and I helped him settle back into bed. Dr. Vance immediately went to work checking his bandages while Elias added wood to the fireplace. The room warmed quickly, and I felt some of the tension leave my shoulders.

I looked over at Dr. Vance, who was quietly organizing his medical supplies. The guilt that had been eating at me for so long suddenly felt unbearable. I couldn't keep lying. I took a shaky breath and made my decision.

"Logan," I said, my voice trembling. "I need to tell you something. I'm not actually a rogue."

His gray eyes focused on me intently, but he didn't look surprised.

"I'm from Moonfall Ridge Pack in Aldermer," I continued, the words rushing out. "I lied to you about having no memory."

I braced myself for his anger, for the rage I was sure would come. But instead, Logan surprised me completely.

He smiled.

Actually smiled, like I'd just told him something amusing rather than confessing to a massive deception.

"I already knew you weren't really a rogue, Valencia," he said gently.

I stared at him in shock. "You did?"

"I suspected from the beginning. A true rogue doesn't carry themselves the way you do. And certainly not one with a dragon sleeping inside them."

"But... but why didn't you say anything?"

Logan's thumb brushed across my cheek. "Why did you lie to me in the first place?"

"Because I was afraid you'd kill me if you knew I was from an enemy pack." I said honestly.

"Smart," he said with approval. "Very smart. If you had told me the truth that first day, I might have done exactly that."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You're not angry with me?"

"For protecting yourself? For being clever enough to survive?" Logan shook his head. "I'm impressed."

Heat crept up my neck at his praise. "I still lied to you."

"Valencia, you saved my life. You saved our entire pack. I don't care where you came from." Logan's gray eyes were warm as they met mine. "You're here now. You're mine now. That's all that matters."

Relief crashed over me like a wave. I felt tears prick at my eyes, but I blinked them back.

Logan's voice was gentle, almost tender. "How does it feel? Not having the collar anymore?"

That question broke something inside me. The tears I'd been holding back came flooding out, and I collapsed against his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. He winced slightly from his injuries but wrapped his arms around me anyway.

"I dreamed of this moment for so long," I choked out between sobs. "Every single day, I imagined what it would feel like to have it gone. But I never thought... I never believed it would actually happen. And now it's just... gone. Like magic. Fate is so strange, Logan. So impossibly strange."

His hand stroked my hair as I cried against him. When my sobs finally quieted, he gently tilted my chin up and brushed the tears from my cheeks with his thumb. Then he leaned down and kissed me softly.

The kiss was gentle at first, but something desperate awakened in me. I grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him back fiercely, pouring all my relief and gratitude and love into it.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice shaking. "If it wasn't for you... I would have died wearing that collar. I would have lived my whole life as a slave."

Logan shook his head, his gray eyes intense. "No, Val. This was all you. Your strength, your courage. I just gave you a safe place to discover who you really are."

Dr. Vance interrupted gently. "Alpha, there's something else we need to discuss. The investigation results."

I looked between them, confused. "What about the investigation?"

Dr. Vance glanced at Logan, then back at me. "Should we discuss this privately?"

I felt that familiar spike of irritation. Even now, even after everything, they still wanted to exclude me. I was Luna, but apparently I was still just a decoration in their eyes.

I looked at Dr. Vance and Elias. Both of them clearly expected me to leave - I could see it in their expressions, the way they avoided my eyes. Even though anger flared in my chest, I didn't want to be difficult or demanding.

I started to stand up, preparing to leave.

"No."

Logan's voice was firm, stopping me in my tracks. I looked at him in surprise.

"Valencia stays," he continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "She's more intelligent and brave than any of us give her credit for. She should be part of this discussion."

Dr. Vance looked like he wanted to protest, but Logan's expression silenced him.

"Besides," Logan added, his eyes meeting mine, "this concerns her."

I felt a surge of gratitude and shock. I had expected Logan's overprotective nature to make him want me to leave too, but instead he was insisting I stay. The urge to give him a passionate kiss right there was almost overwhelming, but I forced myself to resist the impulse.

"Thank you," I said softly, settling back down beside him.

Logan squeezed my hand. "We're in this together. All of it."